With known battery cells, a galvanic element is typically arranged in a battery cell housing. In order to provide a certain voltage or a certain current, a plurality of battery cells can be connected to form a battery. These batteries are currently used particularly as traction batteries in motor vehicles, for example in electric or hybrid vehicles, in order to drive the motor vehicles. When the batteries are used in motor vehicles, they must, however, fulfill certain requirements. Because traction batteries can provide a few hundred volts, special safety measures must be met in order to prevent, for example, an endangering of persons. In addition, high availability of the battery must be ensured. This availability particularly depends on the degree of damage or aging of the battery. Because the battery cells have fluctuations in their capacity and in their internal resistance caused during production, they are typically charged and discharged at different rates. This may result in damage to the battery when individual cells, for example, are completely discharged or overcharged.
In order to monitor a battery or individual battery cells, measures are known from the prior art. Thus, DE 10 2010 011 740 A1 indicates a battery, in which a state of individual battery cells is recorded by sensors and sent wirelessly to a prioritized central unit. WO 2012/034045 A1 describes a battery monitoring system in which a measuring device is attached on or in a battery cell. In addition, WO 2004/047215 A1 discloses a battery management system in which physical properties of same are monitored to extend the service life of the battery.
Because, however, only a limited structural or packaging space is available in motor vehicles, the integration of the batteries as well as the electronic systems thereof in the motor vehicle represents an extensive challenge.
The object of the present invention is to integrate microelectronic circuits for monitoring a battery cell so as to save space to the extent possible in order to minimize space requirements of the battery cell.